नारद उवाच स्वधापूजाविधानं च ध्यानं स्तोत्रं महामुने । श्रोतुमिच्छामि यत्नेन वद वेदविदांवर
Narada said: O great sage, I wish to hear the method of worship, meditation, and praise of Svadhā; please tell me, O foremost knower of the Vedas.
श्रीनारायण उवाच ध्यानं च स्तवनं ब्रह्मन् वेदोक्तं सर्वमङ्गलम् । सर्वं जानासि च कथं ज्ञातुमिच्छसि वृद्धये
Shri Narayana said: O Brahmin, meditation and praise, as spoken in the Vedas, are wholly auspicious; you know everything, so why do you wish to learn for further growth?
शरत्कृष्णत्रयोदश्यां मघायां श्राद्धवासरे । स्वधां सम्पूज्य यत्नेन ततः श्राद्धं समाचरेत्
On the thirteenth day of the bright half of autumn, on the day of Maghā, during the Śrāddha rite, one should carefully worship Svadhā and then perform the Śrāddha ceremony.
स्वधां नाभ्यर्च्य यो विप्रः श्राद्धं कुर्यादहंमतिः । न भवेत्फलभाक्सत्यं श्राद्धस्य तर्पणस्य च
If a learned Brāhmaṇa performs the Śrāddha without first worshipping Svadhā, he does not partake of the fruit of the Śrāddha or the offering of libations—this is the truth.
ब्रह्मणो मानसीं कन्यां शश्वत्सुस्थिरयौवनाम् । पूज्यां वै पितृदेवानां श्राद्धानां फलदां भजे
I honor Svadhā, the mind-born daughter of Brahmā, ever youthful and steadfast, worthy of worship by the ancestors and the gods, bestower of the fruits of Śrāddha rites.
इति ध्यात्वा शिलायां वा ह्यथवा मङ्गले घटे । दद्यात्पाद्यादिकं तस्यै मूलेनेति श्रुतौ श्रुतम्
Having meditated thus, whether on a stone or an auspicious pot, one should offer water for washing the feet and other items to her, as prescribed in the scriptures.
ओं ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं स्वधादेव्यै स्वाहेति च महामुने । समुच्चार्य तु सम्पूज्य स्तुत्वा तां प्रणमेद् द्विजः
Oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ klīṃ, to Goddess Svadhā, svāhā—having pronounced this, worshipped her, and praised her, the Brāhmaṇa should bow down.
स्तोत्रं शृणु मुनिश्रेष्ठ ब्रह्मपुत्र विशारद । सर्ववाञ्छाप्रदं नॄणां ब्रह्मणा यत्कृतं पुरा
Hear, O best of sages, wise son of Brahmā, the hymn composed by Brahmā of old, which grants all desires to people.
श्रीनारायण उवाच स्वधोच्चारणमात्रेण तीर्थस्नायी भवेन्नरः । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: By merely uttering the name of Svadhā, a person becomes as if bathed in holy waters, is freed from all sins, and attains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice.
स्वधा स्वधा स्वधेत्येवं यदि वारत्रयं स्मरेत् । श्राद्धस्य फलमाप्नोति बलेश्च तर्पणस्य च
If one remembers 'Svadhā, Svadhā, Svadhe' three times a day, one attains the fruit of the Śrāddha and the offering to the strong ancestors.
श्राद्धकाले स्वधास्तोत्रं यः शृणोति समाहितः । स लभेच्छ्राद्धसम्भूतं फलमेव न संशयः
Whoever listens with concentration to the hymn of Svadhā at the time of Śrāddha surely obtains the fruit arising from Śrāddha—there is no doubt.
स्वधा स्वधा स्वधेत्येवं त्रिसन्ध्यं यः पठेन्नरः । प्रियां विनीतां स लभेत्साध्वीं पुत्रगुणान्विताम्
Whoever recites 'Svadhā, Svadhā, Svadhe' at the three junctions of the day will obtain a beloved, virtuous, faithful wife endowed with the qualities of a good son.
पितॄणां प्राणतुल्या त्वं द्विजजीवनरूपिणी । श्राद्धाधिष्ठातृदेवी च श्राद्धादीनां फलप्रदा
You are as dear as life to the ancestors, the very embodiment of the livelihood of Brāhmaṇas, the presiding goddess of Śrāddha, and the bestower of the fruits of Śrāddha and related rites.
नित्या त्वं सत्यरूपासि पुण्यरूपासि सुव्रते । आविर्भावतिरोभावौ सृष्टौ च प्रलये तव
O virtuous one, you are eternal, the embodiment of truth and virtue; your manifestation and withdrawal occur at creation and dissolution.
ॐ स्वस्तिश्च नमः स्वाहा स्वधा त्वं दक्षिणा तथा । निरूपिताश्चतुर्वेदैः प्रशस्ताः कर्मिणां पुनः
Oṃ, Svasti, Namaḥ, Svāhā, Svadhā, and Dakṣiṇā—you are thus established by the four Vedas and praised by those who perform rites.
कर्मपूर्त्यर्थमेवैता ईश्वरेण विनिर्मिताः । इत्येवमुक्त्वा स ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मलोके स्वसंसदि
These were created by the Lord solely for the fulfillment of rituals; having thus spoken, Brahmā remained in his own assembly in Brahmaloka.
तस्थौ च सहसा सद्यः स्वधा साऽऽविर्बभूव ह । तदा पितृभ्यः प्रददौ तामेव कमलाननाम्
Then, suddenly, Svadhā appeared there; at that time, he gave her, with a lotus face, to the ancestors.
तां सम्प्राप्य ययुस्ते च पितरश्च प्रहर्षिताः । स्वधास्तोत्रमिदं पुण्यं यः शृणोति समाहितः । स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु वाञ्छितं फलमाप्नुयात्
Having received her, the ancestors rejoiced; whoever listens with concentration to this auspicious hymn to Svadhā, having bathed in all holy waters, attains the desired fruit.
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां नवमस्कन्धे नारायणनारदसंवादे स्वधोपाख्यानवर्णनं नाम चतुश्चत्वारिशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter, named 'The Description of the Story of Svadhā,' in the dialogue between Nārāyaṇa and Nārada, in the ninth book of the great Purāṇa, Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata, comprising eighteen thousand verses.
दक्षिणोपाख्यानवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच उक्तं स्वाहास्वधाख्यानं प्रशस्तं मधुरं परम् । वक्ष्यामि दक्षिणाख्यानं सावधानो निशामय
The Description of the Story of Dakṣiṇā. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The account of Svāhā and Svadhā has been told, excellent and supremely sweet; now, listen attentively as I narrate the story of Dakṣiṇā.
गोपी सुशीला गोलोके पुराऽऽसीत्प्रेयसी हरेः । राधा प्रधाना सध्रीची धन्या मान्या मनोहरा
The virtuous Gopi, beloved of Hari, once dwelled in Goloka; Radha was foremost, equal among them, blessed, honored, and enchanting.
अतीव सुन्दरी रामा सुभगा सुदती सती । विद्यावती गुणवती चातिरूपवती सती
She was exceedingly beautiful, charming, fortunate, with lovely teeth, pure, learned, virtuous, and of surpassing form, steadfast in chastity.
कलावती कोमलाङ्गी कान्ता कमललोचना । सुश्रोणी सुस्तनी श्यामा न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डिता
She was skilled in arts, tender-bodied, lovely, lotus-eyed, with graceful hips, beautiful breasts, dark complexion, and shaped like a banyan tree.
ईषद्धास्यप्रसन्नास्या रत्नालङ्कारभूषिता । श्वेतचम्पकवर्णाभा बिम्बोष्ठी मृगलोचना
Her face was gently smiling and serene, adorned with jeweled ornaments; her hue resembled white champaka flowers, her lips were red as bimba fruit, and her eyes like those of a deer.
कामशास्त्रेषु निपुणा कामिनी हंसगामिनी । भावानुरक्ता भावज्ञा कृष्णस्य प्रियभामिनी
She was adept in the arts of love, passionate, moving like a swan; devoted in feeling, knowing emotions, and the beloved of Krishna.
रसज्ञा रसिका रासे रासेशस्य रसोत्सुका । उवासादक्षिणे क्रोडे राधायाः पुरतः पुरा
She was expert in rasa, a connoisseur, eager for the delight of the dance, and once sat at the right side of Radha in front.
सम्बभूवानम्रमुखो भयेन मधुसूदनः । दृष्ट्वा राधां च पुरतो गोपीनां प्रवरोत्तमाम्
Madhusudana, seeing Radha before him—the most eminent among the Gopis—became humble-faced and fearful.
कामिनीं रक्तवदनां रक्तपङ्कजलोचनाम् । कोपेन कम्पिताङ्गीं च कोपेन स्फुरिताधराम्
He saw her as a passionate woman, with reddened face and lotus-red eyes, her body trembling in anger, her lips quivering with wrath.
वेगेन तां तु गच्छन्तीं विज्ञाय तदनन्तरम् । विरोधभीतो भगवानन्तर्धानं चकार सः
Recognizing her swift departure, and fearing opposition, the Blessed Lord vanished at once.
पलायन्तं च कान्तं च शान्तं सत्त्वं सुविग्रहम् । विलोक्य कम्पिता गोप्यः सुशीलाद्यास्ततो भिया
Seeing their beloved fleeing, his tranquil nature and splendid form, the virtuous Gopis, trembling with fear, gazed upon him.